SAFETY RAIL SYSTEM

Abstract: The invention is related to a safety fence system comprising a plurality of fence elements (1) and a plurality of support elements (4), each support element comprising a base part (6), which is adapted to rest against a roof or similar backing surface and secured in place by means of at least one weight (7), and a post part (5), which is fixed to the base part and to which part the fence elements (1) are attached and the lower end of which post part (5) is located upward outdistanced from the backing surface of the base part. The base part (6) and the post part (5) are detachably fixed to each other by virtue of a locking bracket part (8) or equivalent element and by virtue of at least one fixing means (9, 10) so that the base part (6) can be detached from the post part (5) without detaching the post part from the fence element (1).

Description: SAFETY RAIL SYSTEM. The present invention relates to a safety fence system according the preamble of claim 1. Such safety fence systems such as that disclosed in the present invention are conventionally used in, e.g., the repair and installation work of flat roofs. Particularly during the repair or installation of eaves or working close to the safety fence, situations occur in which the posts of the safety fence form an obstacle or impediment to the work. Specifically the base parts of the fence posts are often quite disturbing to the work performed. E.g., EP patent publication 288,100 discloses a construction in which the base part of the fence post is hingedly mounted to the post itself, and is thus upward foldable against the post part. This embodiment has a disadvantage of compli¬ cated construction and the drawback that the base part when olded against the post disturbs work close to the post. Moreover, fixing the fence to the post is clumsy and slow in conventional systems. It is an object of the present invention to provide an entirely novel type of safety fence system capable of overcoming the drawbacks of the prior-art technology, and additionally, fulfilling the load test specifications of the DIN 4420 standard. The invention is based on the concept of detachable fixing of the post part to the base part in the safety fence system, whereby the base part can be easily and rapidly detached, while the post part still remains fixed to the erected safety fence which remains supported by the adjacent posts. More specifically, the invention is characterized by what is stated in the appended claims. The invention provides significant benefits . The base part can be easily and rapidly detached from the post part and thus moved aside. This facility speeds the erection and dismantling of the safety fence system, thus permitting faster repair and installation operations on a roof than was possible with prior-art techniques. The fence part can be placed just at the roof edge as the base part is designed to be upward angled at its end mating with the post part, thus permitting the base part to extend beyond the roof edge. Moreover, the posts can be easily shifted, without the use of any tools, steplessly along the fence when, e.g., more working space is desired. By virtue of an angle joint piece, the fence system can be erected in any desired form with steplessly adjustable angles. The approach according to the invention provides an easy-to- use, quick-to-erect and dismantle safety fence system fulfilling the requirements of the DIN 4420 standard. The invention is next examined with reference to the appended drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of the safety fence system according to the invention erected on a roof; Figure 2 is a side view of a post of the system according to the invention; Figures 3a, 3b and 3c are details of the fixing of the post part to the base part; Figure 4 is a detail of the post viewed from direction A indicated by the arrow in Fig. 2; Figures 5a and 5b are details of the adjustment facility for the locking mechanism; Figure 6 is a perspective general view of the adjustment facilities of the fence system; and Figure 7 is a perspective view of an alternative embodi¬ ment of the invention. With reference to Fig. 1, the safety fence system is shown erected on a roof 2 having an edge 3. The safety fence system comprises at least one fence part 1 arranged to be supported by a plurality of support elements 4. Each support element comprises a post part 5 and a base part 6 adapted to rest against the roof. The base part 6, and consequently, the entire fence system is anchored in place with the help of at least one weight 7. With reference to Fig. 2, the post of the safety fence system comprises the base part 6 having the post part 5 fixed to its locking bracket 8 with the help of locking means 9,10. The lower end of the post part is advantageously located suitably outdistanced above the support sur ace of the base part. In the exempli ying embodiments illustrated in the diagrams, the locking bracket end of the base part 6 joining with the post part 5 is suitably upward angled from horizontal to make room for a gutter ridge possibly raised from the roof to remain untouched under the angled bracket part. The base part is additionally provided with anti-slip means 20, 21 to secure the safety fence system in place. Advanta¬ geously, the anti-slip means are adapted to the base part at its end supporting the post part 5 and/or at the weight 7 or its vicinity. The anti-slip means are made from plastic, rubber or equivalent high-friction material. With reference to Figs. 3a - 3c, a detail of the locking of post part 5 to the base part is shown. The left-side diagram in Fig. 3a illustrates the locking bracket part 8 of the base part. The locking bracket part may be a separate piece attached to the base part, or alternatively, integral with the base part. The locking bracket part is provided with notches 11, 12 or equivalent shapes. The notches 11, 12 are advantageously made to opposite sides of the locking bracket part so as to face in opposite direc¬ tions. The lower end of the post part 5 is provided with horizontally projecting fixing means 9, 10 having a design compatible with notches 11, 12 of the locking bracket part. Advantageously, the post part is attached as shown in Fig. 3b with the post part first held almost horizontal, in which position the upper fixing means 9 is inserted in the upper notch of the locking bracket part. Subsequently, the post part 5 is rotated about the axis of the fixing means 9 until the lower fixing means 10 mates with the lower notch 12. The lower fixing means 10 advantageously comprises a horizontal shaft bolt 13 of the post part having outside threads at its one end and a compatibly inside-threaded conical element 14, whose rotation tight secures the fixing means in the notch 12. This arrangement provides the lock¬ ing of the post part to the base part as shown in Fig. 3c. Obviously, the detachment of the post part from the base part takes place in the reverse order. It must be noted that, instead of rotating the post part, the base part can be rotated during the fixing/dismantling operations of the base part with the post part in order to secure the fixing means in the notches of the locking arrangement. With reference to Fig. 4, the fixing means of the post part 5 and the locking bracket part of the base part are shown in a side view corresponding to that indicated by arrow A in the diagram of Fig. 2. The locking bracket part 8 is in the embodiment illustrated herein adapted for mounting with fixtures 15 such as bolts to the base part 6. The locking bracket part 8 has an inverted U-shaped cross section with the open side oriented downward. At the post part 5 the locking bracket part 8 has merely the sides 16 into which the upper notch 11 and the lower notch 12 are machined for the insertion of the fixing means 9, • 10 of the post part. The diagram also illustrates a support part 17. With reference to Fig. 5, an advantageous embodiment according to the invention is shown having the locking bracket part 8 designed adjustable. Such a locking bracket part is shown in Fig. 5a in its initial position and in Fig. 5b in its angled end position. Thus, the angle α can be varied when the safety fence system is used on, e.g., steep saddleback roofs in the manner shown in Fig. 6. The adjustment of the bracket angle can be stepless or in preset steps. In a stepwise angle adjustment the locking bracket part 8 is provided with holes in desired locations. In the case shown in the diagram, the adjustment is imple¬ mented in the form of a two-step angle adjustment secured with a bolt and a nut. In the illustrated embodiment the adjustment facility permits alteration of the bracket angle, whereby the safety fence is moved to the position indicated by dashed line. The angle α can be varied in wide limits; in a typical case it is 18°. With reference to Fig. 7, an arrangement is shown in which the post part 5 is adapted to have an eaves support 30 resting against the roof lower edge. In certain conditions such an adjustable additional support may be required for the safety fence system. The additional support 30 com¬ prises a vertical part 31 and a horizontal part 32, both being equipped with an adjustment facility. The adjustment is indicated by arrows in the diagrams. The horizontal part 32 is provided with holes or similar provisions permitting the attachment of the support to the roof by means of suitable fixtures such as screws. For those versed in the art it is obvious that the inven¬ tion is not limited by the exemplifying embodiments described above, but rather, can be varied within the scope and spirit of the annexed claims.

Claims: Claims: 1. A safety fence system comprising a plurality of fence elements (1) and a plurality of support elements (4) , each support element comprising a base part (6) , which is adapted to rest against a roof or similar backing surface and secured in place by means of at least one weight (7) , and a post part (5) , which is fixed to the base part and to which part the fence elements (1) are attached and the lower end of which post part (5) is located upward out¬ distanced from the backing surface of the base part, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the base part (6) and the post part (5) are detachably fixed to each other by virtue of a locking bracket part (8) or equivalent element and by virtue of at least one fixing means (9, 10) so that the base part (6) can be detached from the post part (5) without detaching the post part from the fence element (1) . 2. A safety fence system as defined in claim 1, c h a r - a c t e r i z e d in that the locking bracket part (8) is provided with notches (11, 12) or equivalent shapes designed to accommodate the fixing means (9, 10) adapted to the post part (5) . 3. A safety fence system as defined in claim 1 or 2, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that, besides the normal fixing means, the post part (5) is adapted to accommodate an additional support (30) resting against, e.g., the lower edge of a roof, and advantageously, having facilities for both vertical and horizontal adjustment. 4. A safety fence system as defined in any of oregoing claims 1-3, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the locking part (8) is integral with the base part (6) . 5. A safety fence system as defined in any of foregoing claims 1-4, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the locking bracket part (8) is attachable to the base part (6) by virtue of fixtures (15) . 6. A safety fence system as defined in any of foregoing claims 1-5, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that the locking bracket part (8) is provided with an adjustment arrangement for tilting the post part (5) to an angle. 7. A safety fence system as defined in any of foregoing claims 1-6, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that, besides the normal means, the base part (6) is provided with at least one anti-slip means (20, 21) to secure the safety fence system in place. 8. A safety fence system as defined in any of foregoing claims 1-7, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said anti- slip means (20, 21) are adapted at the end of the base part supporting the post part (5) and/or at the weights (7) or their vicinity. 9. A safety fence system as defined in any of foregoing claims 1-8, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said notches (11, 12) are made to opposite sides of the locking bracket part (8) . 10. A safety fence system as defined in any of foregoing claims 1-9, c h a r a c t e r i z e d in that said locking bracket part (8) has a rectangular hollow cross section, in which the bottom side is open and, for the length mating with the post part (5) , the locking bracket part (8) has only the lateral sides to which the notches (11, 12) are made.

Inventors: TOROPAINEN REIJO, TOROPAINEN SEPPO, TOROPAINEN, REIJO, TOROPAINEN, SEPPO
Applicants: PELTITARVIKE OY, TOROPAINEN REIJO, TOROPAINEN SEPPO, TOROPAINEN, REIJO, TOROPAINEN, SEPPO
Application year: 1994
Main classification: E04G21
IPC codes: E04G21